Vol. 24 No. 4 (2022)

The study defines the main directions for improving approaches to performance evaluation for the heads of territorial bodies of federal executive authorities (FEAs). The author analyzes the shortcomings of the existing evaluation and performance criteria system and examines approaches to understanding the public administration efficiency by domestic and foreign scientists. The materials of the study offer ways for administrative and legal consolidation of performance indicators, as well as methods for their evaluation based on interactions of federal executive bodies with scientific organizations. The relevance of the study is defined by the existing gap between modern scientific achievements in the field of performance evaluation for public administration and the current administrative acts in this area. The objects of the study are administrative and legal norms governing the indicators for the effectiveness of the heads of territorial bodies, ways to assess them, the existing shortcomings of legal regulation, and ways to overcome them. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the idea of the client-oriented approach, which revises the approaches to evaluate the performance by replacing quantitative criteria of effectiveness with qualitative. The goal of the study is to introduce a scientifically based approach and improve the administrative and legal regulation of the existing system for evaluating the performance of the heads of territorial bodies of federal executive authorities based on a comprehensive legal, managerial and comparative analysis.

The article considers theoretical approaches to the performance, quality, and effectiveness of public executive bodies, as well as factors for improving the quality of the public executive bodies in achieving strategic goals. The study revealed the problem of insufficient theoretical validity for the proposed concepts to assess the quality and performance of public administration. The author tested the methodology of design and actualization for organizational and educational systems. Under this methodology, the public administration body is considered an organizational management system. The author developed a specific theoretical interdependence model of the notions of performance, quality, and effectiveness of the executive body of public administration. Based on the inversion analysis of the model, the author identified the problems and defined scientific-methodological and technological objectives. The solution to these issues will improve the performance efficiency of the executive body, the effectiveness, and the quality of its powers. Among the factors affecting the implementation of the public administration body's powers are the level of normative-legal regulation for the exercise of power, the managerial culture of the head of the public administration body, innovative activities to develop the government body, qualification of civil servants, financial, economic, and logistical support for the exercise of powers.

The article presents an analysis of the concepts, categories, and principles used in the public administration methodology, which are fundamental for practical application in managing the development of municipal service. The author pays particular attention to the need to differentiate the content of the municipal service as a professional activity and the conditions for ensuring its functioning, on the basis of which the most general requirements for managing the development of the municipal service should be developed and appropriate programs adopted. Of great importance are indicators of the effectiveness and efficiency of the municipal service. They should be specific and measurable. Only then will they make it possible to determine the importance of developing specific types of professional activities for municipal employees, on which the degree of satisfaction of the needs and interests of the population and organizations depends. This will also allow to define the goals and objectives facing municipal employees as part of their official duties. When creating a program for the development of the municipal service, it is necessary to pursue the goals of achieving positive results, indicating an increase in the quality of ensuring that municipal employees execute the powers of local self-government entities. They should be irreversible, serve as a basis for further improvements in the municipal service through the targeted use of the opportunities inherent in solving the identified problems.

Submitting statistical, tax, accounting, and other reports to state authorities is an essential component of the administrative costs of Russian business. The article analyzes Russian and foreign approaches to evaluating the level of reporting burden and its optimization algorithms. The study shows that the «opportunity cost» approach related to the potential costs of not reporting information in determining the level of reporting burden is incorrect. Based on an analysis of the limitations of the standard cost model, the authors propose to consider the advantages (the use of reporting data) in the optimization of reporting. The article presents suggestions for implementing the «reporting guillotine» based on the development of unified methodological approaches to evaluating the reporting burden, a complete accounting of reporting forms and indicators, as well as the amendment of the regulatory legal framework. According to the «reporting guillotine,» we could implement a transition to automated data exchange concerning the information, the collection and processing of which is not considered redundant. Organizing such an automated exchange via modern digital technologies, including the Internet of Things (IoT), allows businesses to minimize the administrative costs of providing information to government agencies.

The article discusses the theory of significant changes in the oil and gas purchase and sale contracts that violate the economic balance of the contracting parties. The author emphasizes that during the existing global energy crisis, the issue of significant changes in the oil and gas purchase and sale contracts is becoming particularly relevant. Such contracts are most often long-term contracts, and during their term, certain events may occur that entail a significant change in circumstances. Given that the contracts for oil and gas purchase and sale are «cascading» («pyramidal»), as they affect some other energy contracts, it is particularly important to address the issue of a significant change of circumstances in these contracts to preserve or restore the violated economic balance of the contracting parties. It is essential to determine a mechanism for eliminating the imbalance that arises in the event of a significant change in circumstances without terminating long-term contracts for the oil and gas purchase and sale since these contracts are critical for the contracting parties as well as for industrial enterprises and the general population.

The article discusses the role of a consultant in developing small and medium-sized businesses in the context of economic sanctions. The introduction of sanctions at the beginning of 2022 makes us take a fresh look at many processes in the economy of our country. Among them are investment opportunities in small and medium-sized businesses. In the context of significant reduction in foreign investments, the question arises of domestic mechanisms for effective investment in new projects of small and medium-sized businesses. In the process of investing, information support and consulting become an important element. In order for a domestic investor to find projects characterized by acceptable risks and acceptable returns, and for small and medium-sized businesses to find their investor, a stable and developed system of consulting is required. At the same time, both investors and project initiators receive consulting assistance. For the project initiator, the consultant helps to properly “package” the project in order to be of interest to the investor. With the help of a consultant, the client can obtain information about the investor’s preferences for the project, about the procedure and conditions for investing in the project. Based on the professional experience in the consulting business, as well as studying the practice of the “Business Angels of Russia” community, the author summarized the experience of holding so-called mini-forums, analyzed the results of a survey of project initiators and investors, and identified the gaps in their informational preparation. The author considers the network effects of interaction between investors, consultants, project initiators and their new participants.

Implementing the ESG techniques, also known as sustainable development or corporate social responsibility, can significantly increase the effectiveness of corporate and government management in the long term. The article addresses the key factors of the sustainable development concept, considering the three elements - ecological (environmental protection), social development, and economic growth. The materials of the article demonstrate the evolution of the «sustainable development» concept in international relations and present the actual methods of ESG used both in Russia and abroad. The author revealed the increasing influence of the social («S-factor») as well as the creation and optimization of a new corporate culture on the quality of the management processes during the global financial, economic, and geopolitical crisis. The article provides recommendations on the use of techniques and practices of environmental and social management in the public and business sectors. The analysis revealed systemic interconnections between achieving the sustainable development goals, as a core concept promoted by the UN, and using progressive practices of environmental and social management in business and public administration.

The article provides a territorial analysis for the use of natural resources in the Volga Federal District (VFD) by types of resource use. The authors ranked the regions of the Volga Federal District according to the indicators reflecting the region’s impact on the environment, investments, and expenditures on environmental protection. The article demonstrates that the regions leading in the impact indicators have the highest expenditures for nature protection, which suggests that these regions «recognize» the existing problems and the need to solve them, considering that these investments aimed at solving specific problems of natural resource management. Based on the specifics of economic activity and industry orientation of the regions, given the results of statistical analysis, ranking, application of the problem and systematic approaches, and GIS- technology, the study conducted a typology of the VFD regions and identified types of nature management. Such comprehensive studies of the process of regional nature management allow us to differentiate problems in the field of environmental protection and to understand the rational use of natural resources in the Volga Federal District and the directions of its organization, considering the territorial specifics.

The article presents modern trends in the development of the world’s energy industry. Natural gas is viewed as an alternative fuel for transitioning to renewable energy sources. Natural gas use in transportation contributes to decarbonizing the global energy industry and meeting the Sustainable development goals. The article provides examples of public policies implemented in foreign countries to support the introduction of transport operating on alternative fuels. The transportation sector plays a fundamental role in achieving the Sustainable development goals and protecting the environment. Finding a sustainable way to transform the transportation sector and transition to alternative fuel sources is an essential challenge for all nations. Many countries are implementing specific programs to support the introduction of alternative fuel vehicles. The transition to natural gas fuel is specified in legislation and documents of a strategic nature with particular indicators on the volume of consumption of natural gas fuel, the number of vehicles, and the distribution of gas fuel stations. Relevant goals are part of regional development policies, where appropriate legislation and regional programs are also being developed. The current level of technology does not allow us to abandon traditional energy sources (coal, oil, natural gas); however, we can already increase the efficiency of their use and reduce emissions. The global community is promoting the concept of decarbonization, which involves restructuring the economy and energy systems aiming to significantly reduce CO₂ emissions, which will reduce the burden on the environment.

The article considers the issue of including the activities of the Municipal Public Chamber in the target model aimed at involving the social and territorial community in the implementation of urban environment projects. The study obtained the final institutional functions for forming the public opinion - introducing the Public Chamber into the target model for involvement of the social and territorial community, business for urban environment projects, and adaptive understanding and usage in the new recommended formats. The current situation in monotowns of the Ural Federal District suggested the need to develop and implement a strategy of sociological support for the work of public chambers in municipalities. After designing such a model, the choice to conduct the experiment (testing sociological support) fell on the city of Krasnoturyinsk because of its diversified development. In 2020, the Municipal Public Chamber’s activities were incorporated into the target model for engaging citizens into discussions about projects aimed at comfortable urban environment in the city. The goal of the study is to develop and substantiate a better model of sociological support for the Public Chamber’s activities to form public opinion in the municipal territory. This will significantly simplify the procedures for discussing upcoming projects, as well as other issues of supporting the municipality by representatives of the social and territorial community.

The state program on voluntary resettlement of compatriots living abroad to the Russian Federation aims to enhance the demographic situation in Russian regions, which is one of the priority areas for improving youth policy. Existing problems suggest the need for an in-depth empirical analysis of the ongoing processes. The purpose of the study is to analyze the experience of the program of voluntary resettlement to the Russian Federation of compatriots living abroad, to identify the major problems, and to propose areas for improvement. The theoretical and methodological basis of the study is the institutional approach, the theory of public administration and public policy. As research methods, the authors used the analysis of official documents, statistical data, expert interviews, and a questionnaire survey. During the study, the authors analyzed official documents and the results of the Monitoring of the Resettlement Program for compatriots. The authors concluded that the implementation of Russia’s compatriot resettlement program is a strategically important mechanism in attracting human capital and maintaining an inflow of new specialists and competent young personnel to the Russian Federation. In addition, the experts noted the high migration and demographic potential of this program. The authors stated the most significant social, economic, regulatory and legal problems arising in the implementation of the state program and proposed multiple ways to address them.

The «nature» of legal regulation for social relations arising during the implementation of migration policy mainly determines the components of these relations, including the object of legal relations, methods, and means of managerial impact. Migration legislation of the Russian Federation is characterized by the presence of non-systematic and complex norms regulating social relations with the participation of foreign citizens who reside on the territory of the Russian Federation and offer their foreign workforce, i.e., carrying out labor activities. In the Russian Federation, migration policy has some features, manifested primarily in the subject of public relations (foreign citizens, stateless persons, foreign officials, foreign organizations, etc.) and the range of protected legal relations (citizenship issues, passport and registration procedures, migration registration, entry, exit, and residence in the Russian Federation, the regulations of labor and other activities that are not prohibited by law). The role of the state in the migration management processes should become determinant. When considering state activity in the field of migration, effective public policy might become one of the most significant areas of socio-economic development and modernization of the country, as well as ensuring its security.

The article outlines and analyzes the risks, opportunities and prospects for using the information and communication technologies (ICT) in education. The paper examines the results and features of the use of ICTs in education: mass character, continuity, and transboundary character; a significant increase in e-learning resources, the growth of Internet platforms and the EdTech market. The article describes limitations that hinder the use of ICTs in education, presents the main trends, and suggests ideas to develop ICTs in current conditions, internationalize education and promote Russian educational programs abroad. Overcoming the pandemic will not only reduce the relevance of discussion about the prospects for using ICT in educational process to implement the internationalization tasks. On the contrary, this discussion is based on the analysis of distance learning as inevitable and turns into a philosophical discourse on how the very future of education is seen, as well as the place and role of ICT in implementing global sustainable development goals. The use of ICT not only changes the form and organization of the educational process significantly, but also provides ample opportunities for the internalization of education, attracting foreign students to study at Russian universities. These opportunities contribute to achieving a number of political and economic development objectives. There are differences between organizing the educational process for Russian students studying directly in the building of a higher educational institution full-time or in hybrid format and teaching foreign students using ICT in a fully remote format. The work used interviews with teachers and the results of sociological surveys among students of the Department of Production and Cultural Policy of the RANEPA.

Despite the world’s unprecedented changes in the last century and the global pandemic, cooperation in education within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) remains of strategic importance. The establishment of the Association of Law Universities of SCO (hereinafter, the Association) promotes the formation of a community with unified destiny within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. It will ensure the rule of law for regional economic cooperation and create an international team of legal professionals. The following three principles should be observed in further development of the Association: university-led multilateral cooperation; joint discussion and co-building, pragmatic business cooperation; focus on education, mutual benefit, and reciprocity. At the same time, it is necessary to use several specific mechanisms, including joint training, multi-subject participation, joint research, publication of academic results, implementing the Association’s activities, servicing the regional development strategy, and promoting the research on legal education within the framework of the SCO.

The article describes the formation of statehood in the Republic of Uzbekistan after gaining its sovereignty. In a short period, the foundation of national statehood was formed, where the basic values are determined by the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan; the Constitution clearly enshrines the most important principles of state and social development, and the principle for dividing the state power into legislative, executive and judicial branches is fundamental. A complete administrative reform has been carried out in the country, the work of local authorities has been reorganized, and the structure of state and economic management has been modernized and updated. Uzbekistan has also adopted several specific regulatory legal acts to improve the work of the civil service system because this sphere is of particular attention among the authorities in the country.